TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN

Transiteatret-Bergen: “Walk Cat, Walk!” by Tore Vagn Lid, Norway.

It is a rare and genuine pleasure to recommend a piece of theatre - God knows it happens far too seldom! But what this company achieves in this production is sublime theatre and a real artistic experience comparable to the exquisiteness of Lepage and Bausch – though no comparisons should be made, of course. Transiteatret creates a scenic language that is unique to them and which therefore becomes an artistic experience. Quite spectacular, really, considering they are probing the realms of art and artificiality – the perception of art and artists in a contemporary setting. The piece, drawing on a multitude of exacting performance skills, manages to interweave all the disparate components. The magic is partly that as you settle in to enjoy the virtuosity of one genre (psychological realism, projections, choreography, music, a capella singing …) the rug is pulled from under your feet to be faced with the fact that it is make believe. Only make believe. Or perhaps it really is art? There is no storyline, so through a series of images, or episodes, we experience unnamed celebrities, feigning modesty, speaking of their role in art. We also see the cruelty beneath the image of female beauty, the ease with which horrors of mankind are manipulated into the service of beauty and art. The consequences of a society living under constant camera surveillance are explored, and the simple means by which psychological realism has been used as an instrument of manipulation are hilariously and skilfully exposed. The artificiality of the piece is furthermore underlined by the fact that the spoken “global” language of English is spoken by Norwegians. The beauty of the piece is that Transiteatret manages to question our perception of art and at the same time pay homage to the art of stagecraft, to theatre.

This is a piece that merits performance at the Traverse during the Edinburgh Fringe Festival ( speaking as an ex Associate Director 1989-90 ), the I.C.A. or Sadlers Wells Studio in London or indeed the Riverside Studios where I have seen countless valuable international performances while living in London from the late ‘70’s to late ‘90’s.

Kim Dambæk – freelance director

Reykjaviksgade 3, 1. tv
2300 Copenhagen S
Denmark
kim_dambaek@yahoo.com
+45 32966331 / +45 23608492

Work in UK includes productions at: Almeida Theatre, The Gate, Young Vic, Citizens’ Theatre Glasgow, Sheffield Crucible. Trained at Drama Centre, Directors’ Course 1977-80